Thimble.



L. TERRY.

THHVIBLE,

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2. 1916.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

LEONORA TERRY, OF ST. JOSEPHQMISSOURI;

THIMBLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 2, 1916. Serial N 0. 123,405.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONORA TERRY, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thimbles; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in thimbles, andthe primary object of the invention is to prevent the needle fromslipping while being forced through an article of apparel, andfurthermore to protect the operators finger, embodying a guard aroundthe open end of said thimble that will absolutely stop the needle. I

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device of thischaracter which is easily and simply constructed, inexpensive tomanufacture, and one which will be very efficient in operation.

With these and numerous other objects in view my invention consists ofthe novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of partswhich will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed outin the specification and claim.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of thethimble;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and,

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective showing a portion of the rim.

In describing my invention I shall refer to the drawings in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views, and in which the numeral 1 represents a thimble whichcomprises a conical shell body 2 having a closed convexed end 3, and theouter circumference of the shell and closed end are provided with aplurality of closely spaced indentures 4, the purpose of which isobvious in thimbles of this character.

The conical shell 2 is provided at its open end with a laterallyprojecting rounded guard rim or bead 5 which projects outwardly from theopen edge. This guard or rim 5 is spaced a considerable distance fromthe open end of the shell by an annular web 5 integral with both and isrounded.

The guard 5, owing to the fact that it isgroove 6 which is smooth andwhich is adapted to receive a needle should the same slip from the shellwhen it is being pushed through a piece of fabric. This annular groove 6extends entirely around the shell and forms an adequate guard that willprotect the wearers finger and prevent the rear end of the needle frombeing forced from the thimble.

To prevent the rear end of the needle, when the same is forced into thegroove of the guard, from slipping around the same owing to the factthat the surface of the groove is smooth, I have provided the upper edgeof the rounded guard 5 with a plurality of closely spaced transverselyextending notches 7 that extend across the same and which will stop theneedle and prevent it from moving around the shell. This will form aquick and eflicient stop which operates in cooperation withthe guard toprotect the operators finger.

These notches are V-shaped with the upper edges of each notch merginginto the upper edges of the adjacent notches to quickly guide the needleinto one of said notches to stop the same. It is to be further observedthat the teeth 7 serve to prevent slippage of the needle from thethimble in case it is desired by the user to force the side of saidthimble against the needle, rather than the end thereof. It may also beexplained that generally when the needle slips from the end of thethimble and is caught by the guard, it will tilt laterally away from thethimble and will thus immediately engage the teeth in question so thatfurther slippage will be prevented.

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of mythimble, it will be seen that I have provided a simple and efficientthimble of this character which is well adapted to perform the functionsfor which it is used. The guard with the cooperating notches around itsupper end forms a safe and secure protection for the operators fingerand prevents the needle 7 from slipping from the thimble and beingforced into the finger. The indentures 4 in the shell and closed end ofthe thimble Patented Apr. is, 1918. i

are of considerable depth and are so closely positioned together thatimmediately upon engagement with any portion of the outer circumferenceof the thimble, the needle will-be positioned in one of the indenturesand may be operated at once.

The annular groove 6 which extends around the open end of the thimblebetween the guard and the shell is of a corresponding depth to the depthof the indentures so that the same will operate in a like manner whenthe needle has been caught in one of the notches on the upper edge ofthe guard.

I claim The combination with a sewing thimble, of a web extendingoutwardly from and Games of this patent may be obtained for completelysurrounding the open end of said thimble, and a bead at the front sideof said web extending throughout the circumference of its edge andjoined integrally I witnesses.

LEONORA TERRY.

Witnesses: V V

CHAS. J. NOLAN, M. F. ANDREWS.

five cents each, by addressing the Gemmissioner of retreats, Washington,D. 6.

